Victim joins cyber bully blitz

Growing up in Wagga, racist remarks were hurled at him on a daily basis, with bullies making his life misery.

The father of three has joined Griffith’s “Bullying is Bullshit” campaign, which aims to raise awareness and deter cyber bullies.

“I came to Australia from Vietnam when I was only six,” Mr Vu said.

“I was bullied because I was an Asian guy growing up in a small town.

“I can remember they’d call me things like dim sim or bonsai and ‘Tin can rolling down a hill’. I never knew what that meant. At the time I didn’t understand but eventually switched on to it – ‘ching chong, ching chong’is the noise it makes.

“It’s funny now in hindsight but at the time I got really angry, I was pushed until I snapped.”

Mr Vu considers himself lucky that for him the bullying stopped when he went home each day, but with three sons of his own growing up in a digital age he is worried.

“It can be a constant thing now. I really can’t imagine having to put up with it all the time like kids do these days,” he said. “I copped it on the spot, now bullies keep going online and do it behind closed doors.

“My boys are not old enough yet to be online, but it worries me a lot.”

Created by Alan Barton, the Bullying is Bullshit Facebook page has already attracted more than 500 likes in two weeks ago.

Mr Barton said it was good to see locals had already shared their stories and is encouraging more to.

“This has got to involve many people for it to work,” Mr Barton said.

“I think sharing personal stories is an important step.

“Reaction to it has been mostly positive.

“I did have one woman say she doesn’t like the title, but it’s important that people take notice – this message has to cut through.”

Mr Barton kicked off the anti-bullying campaign following the tragic death of celebrity Charlotte Dawson.

To be part of the Griffith campaign go to www.facebook.com/bullyingisbs.